


Ruthless

by babywarg (morphaileffect)



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Character Study, F/F, Meta, No Plot/Plotless, Short, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 14:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21255032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/pseuds/babywarg
Summary: Christine and Pepper may have different personalities, but they have a few things in common: they are both very good at what they do. They don't care what others think. And they can be merciless when it matters.





	Ruthless

**Author's Note:**

> My first foray into the Pristine pairing! I thought a character study would help me flesh out their relationship more in my head. And I think it did! Hope to write for and about these lovely women more in the future.

Virginia “Pepper” Potts is not a hard woman. But in a sense, she is the quintessential businessperson.

She sets her eyes on a goal. She gets to that goal. She doesn’t stop until she does.

If, at times, this means the expression on her face hardens, the tone of her voice falls and loses its courteous timber, it should only be expected. She has egos and selfish agendas to trample. She has a greater good in her line of sight, always.

Sometimes it makes her look like she doesn’t care whom she hurts. And others have taken advantage of this. They’ve called her “ruthless”, started rumors about her having no compassion, no brain, no soul.

Yet those who say such things, know full well this isn’t true. Know that it’s something people can easily believe. Know it’s easy to turn mercy around and make it look like cruelty. Know that she can handle it.

In a world of arrogant, materialistic men, she shines as a force to be reckoned with. This means, she turns this negative view of herself around, and makes it work for her.

She ties her hair back. Wields her inner strength as armor, in full view of everyone who doubts her. Smiles sweetly as she says “fuck off” and “no deal,” and saves or creates hundreds of jobs all over the world in the process.

She can live with other people thinking she has no heart.

Only one person’s opinion matters.

***

Christine Palmer is not a hard woman. In fact, she’s quite the opposite.

She is the quintessential doctor: gentle, kind and considerate. Living to work, and working to help, not to profit.

In a world of arrogant, materialistic men, she shines in how she is _not_ like them. She keeps a low profile. Wears her heart on her sleeve. Gives more of herself quietly, and in so doing, accomplishes more than anyone louder does.

Her penchant for brilliant, damaged men, however, was the stuff of legend. Her breakup with Stephen Strange had not exactly been low-key - it had been angry, dramatic without being physical, and conducted in full view of their colleagues, plus a few alarmed patients.

But it was Christine who made the first move to befriend Stephen afterwards. And after this, she knows, people started seeing her as a doormat. A weakling. Someone unfit for her cutthroat profession.

But she didn’t cave. She _forgave_. There was a difference, which she called mercy.

And it doesn’t matter to her if others don’t see it that way.

Only one person’s opinion matters. And only one thing is true:

It’s never _damage_ she’s drawn to, but _brilliance_.

***

“How was your day, darling?” one asks the other.

“All right,” the other replies. “I had to raise my voice to be heard, but overall, everything worked out.”

Those aren’t always the words they use. Sometimes the tone of frustration in it is stronger. Sometimes, the words “raise my voice” aren’t uttered, but the meaning behind them is quietly there.

People have very different ideas about these two women. They think one is too much, and the other too little.

But they have much more in common than perhaps anyone can believe.

Both glide above the expectations that would weigh lesser people down. Both navigate landmines, and watch their every step.

It is only when they come home, kick off their shoes, and fall into each other’s arms, that all of the day’s struggles slide off their capable shoulders.

They compromise where they can. And where they can’t, they don’t.

But there’s one thing they will _never_ give up -

If any harm would come to the people whom they love, they would move heaven and earth to get to them, and keep them safe.

They love each other.

And if anything gets between them -

All bets are off and to hell with mercy.


End file.
